1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to a medical dressing assembly, and more particularly, to a medical dressing assembly which, among other things, isolates an affected area of a patient, such as a burn, incision, abrasion, and/or other abnormality, without contacting the same. The present invention further relates to an associated method of using such a medical dressing assembly.
2. Background Art
Medical dressings have been known in the art for years. Moreover, treating an affected area of a patient with a medical dressing in cooperation with medication is likewise well known in the art. Indeed, conventionally an affected area of a patient is cleansed, coated with medical ointment, and subsequently wrapped in a bandage or gauze like material, which directly contacts the affected area. In addition, certain types of affected areas require that the patient be given medication internally, such as one or more antibiotics for treating primary and/or secondary bacterial infections, pain killers and/or tranquilizers for treating pain and/or traumatic anxiety. While treating an affected area of a patient using the above-identified conventional medical dressings have become common in today""s medical practice, such use remains largely problematic for several reasons.
A first problem associated with a conventional medical dressing is that, the dressing must be removed and a fresh dressing must be reapplied on a regular basis so that discharge from the affected area does not stick or cling to the affected area. Such a process can be time consuming, cumbersome, and extremely painful, especially for burn patients, if the dressing is not removed and fresh dressing reapplied prior to hardening or crusting of the discharged matter.
A second problem recognized with the use of a conventional medical dressing is that the affected area is typically covered with a bandage, thereby substantially precluding air circulation around the affected area. Again, for a burn patient, circulation around the affected area is highly desirous inasmuch as the circulated air provides the patient with substantial relief from the xe2x80x9cresidual burningxe2x80x9d sensation, which often times can be extremely painful and persist for an extended period of time.
A third problem associated with a conventional medical dressing is that it does not substantially preclude fluid from leaving the affected area of the patient. As such, the patient can become dehydrated very rapidly, as a result of the fluid loss, especially if the affected area is large and/or deep. As is well known, dehydration of the patient can lead to many other serious and sometimes fatal complications.
In addition, a conventional medical dressing also substantially precludes continuous topical application of medication to the affected areas inasmuch as the affected area is directly covered and/or wrapped. As such, patients are typically administered large quantities of medicine either orally or intravenously, many of which have adverse side effects, especially at high concentrations. Prolonged administration of powerful drugs at high concentration, such as new generation antibiotics, is not optimal inasmuch as the patient can, over time, develop a resistance to the medication, thereby rendering the medicine less effective, and, at times, completely ineffective. Moreover, due to the concentration requirements of administering medication using conventional means, a patient may not be able to receive a particular medicine if an adverse reaction is observed above a particular concentration.
Furthermore, use of a conventional medical dressing can be problematic when a physician or care taker attempts to observe the affected area for healing or complications because the dressing must be at least partially removed for observation.
Finally, even though a conventional medical dressing covers the affected area of the patient, the affected area is not completely isolated from the external environment, where harmful airborne contaminants and other undesirable matter can inadvertently come into contact with the affected area and further complicate the healing process.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a medical dressing assembly that remedies the aforementioned detriments and/or complications associated with conventional medical dressings.
These and other objects of the present invention will become apparent in light of the present specification, claims, and drawings.
The present invention is directed to a medical dressing assembly comprising: (a) means for isolating an affected area of a patient from an external environment, wherein placement of the isolation means defines a volume surrounding at least a portion of the affected area of the patient; (b) means for controllably inputting matter into the volume; and (c) means for controllably exhausting matter from the volume.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the isolation means is geometrically configurable into at least one of the group consisting of a hand dressing, a forearm dressing, an upper arm dressing, a facial dressing, an upper torso dressing, a lower torso dressing, an upper leg dressing, a lower leg dressing, a foot and ankle dressing, and mixtures thereof.
In another preferred embodiment of the invention, the isolation means comprises: (a) at least one patient engaging member; and (b) a cover member associated with the at least one patient engaging member. In this embodiment the at least one patient engaging member may comprise a patient engaging base member having an inner peripheral geometry greater than the affected area of the patient. Such a patient engaging base member may be at least partially associated with an adhesive, which is preferably covered with a protective, peel-away member. Alternatively, the at least one patient engaging member may comprise a patient engaging strap member, which is optionally adjustable, and may be partially associated with an adhesive, which is preferably covered with a protective, peel-away member.
In yet another preferred embodiment of the invention, the cover member can be non-expandable and/or expandable to define a fixed and/or variable volume, respectively. Preferably the cover member is substantially transparent, thereby enabling observation of the affected area of the patient.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the matter inputting means and/or the matter exhausting means includes at least one of a regulator, a clamp, and a filter for controlling the input/output rate of matter into/out of the volume.
The medical dressing assembly may also comprise a source for supplying a controlled gas, such as air, purified air, a noble or inert gas, an oxygen enriched gaseous mixture, oxygen, and mixtures thereof.
In yet another preferred embodiment of the invention, the dressing assembly further comprises one or more of the following: (a) cooling means associated with the matter inputting means; (b) at least one of a vaporizer or a nebulizer associated with the matter inputting means; (c) filtering means associated with the matter exhausting means; and (d) means for collecting discharge matter from the affected area.
It is also contemplated that the medical dressing assembly of the present invention can be pressurizable from approximately ambient pressure to approximately 10 p.s.i.
The present invention is also directed to a medical dressing assembly comprising: (a) an isolating member, capable of isolating an affected area of a patient from an external environment including: (1) at least one patient engaging member; and (2) a cover member associated with the at least one patient engaging member, wherein placement of the isolating member defines a volume surrounding at least a portion of the affected area of the patient; (b) at least one input conduit hermetically associated with the isolation member; and (c) at least one exhaust conduit hermetically associated with the isolation member.
The present invention is further directed to a method of dressing an affected area of a patient comprising the steps of: (a) providing a medical dressing assembly including: (1) an isolating member having at least one patient engaging member and a cover member associated with the isolating member; (2) at least one input conduit; and (3) an exhaust; (b) operatively securing the isolating member associated with the cover member onto the patient so that at least a portion of the affected area of the patient is isolated from an external environment; (c) supplying matter into the medical dressing assembly through the at least one input conduit; and (d) venting matter from the exhaust into an external environment.